HONG KONG, Jan 21, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - Following last year's successful launch of the Investor Relations (IR) Awards, Hong Kong Investor Relations Association (HKIRA) today announced that public nomination is now open for HKIRA 2nd IR Awards 2016 (the Awards). It continues to focus on recognizing and honoring excellence and best practices in investor relations among Hong Kong listed companies and IR professionals.

Dr. Eva Chan, Founding Chairman of HKIRA said, "It has been immensely rewarding to witness the impact of the first HKIRA IR Awards on the industry by promoting the professionalism of the IR industry. Since our founding in 2008, HKIRA has been committed to promoting excellence in IR practices and setting world-class IR standards for companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. As the Hong Kong stock market is increasingly connected with the mainland and the international markets, it is essential for listed companies to enhance investor engagement through IR in order to stay competitive in the global capital market. We hope the continuation of the Awards encourages more listed companies and market practitioners to participate in the award, realize the strategic importance of IR and promote best IR practices in Hong Kong and the mainland China markets."

Last year, about 190 Hong Kong-listed companies were nominated among which 106 have participated in the Awards. Over 340 professionals in the investment community have cast an aggregate of approximately 4,200 votes online, selecting their best choices of IR best practices companies and professionals. In addition to the 45 top-voted winning companies in 19 award categories, the judging panel has selected the Overall Best IR Awards for the large cap and mid categories.

Professor Louis Cheng, Professor of Finance, School of Accounting and Finance of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Chairman of the Judging Panel remarked, "HKIRA is dedicated to organizing an award which is open, transparent and presents a fair evaluation of the nominated companies and individuals. During the inaugural HKIRA IR Awards, the Judging Panel was glad to have nominations which have truly demonstrated all-round excellence in IR best practices. We look forward to not only receiving more entries this year but also the listed companies' commitment to IR best practices in all levels from IR, CFO to the Chairman of the Board."

"REITs need to be very transparent about their business operations and financial performance. We regularly update our investors to ensure our information is accessible and meaningful as part of our IR strategy," said Mr. George Hongchoy, Chief Executive Officer of Link Asset Management Limited (Manager of Link REIT) in a previous remarks about award-winning strategies. "We also increase our exposure by attending investment seminars, stock exchange forums and HKIRA events. A key part of our IR strategy is regular investor education and communication to ensure investors understand and support the company's business direction." he added.

Dr. Guy Look, Chief Financial Officer of Sa Sa International, also shared his insights earlier, "Investor relations is all about accountability. That's an integral part of our corporate culture driven from the very top of the company." He continued, "The investment community wants to be informed on a timely basis so that they have a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the business. In our IR program we focus on helping investors understand how to evaluate the company, not merely provide publicly disclosed information. We also believe that it is always important to maintain two-way communication."

Public nomination is now open to Hong Kong listed companies. Nominated individuals and companies will enter into an online award survey, where investment community including buy-side and sell-side analysts and fund managers are eligible to vote. Nominees with the highest votes (weighted) in each award category will become the award winners. They will then enter the final selection process for the Overall Best IR Awards to be selected by the judging panel. The panel comprises academics, representatives from professional association, investment community, compliance and financial reporting, to ensure a fair and balanced evaluation.

There are a total of 19 possible awards honoring IR best practices at both individual and company levels. The award winners will be announced at a ceremony in Hong Kong in May/ June 2016. For more information, please visit http://www.hkira.com/vote/about.php.

Strategic Public Relations Group is proud to be the Official Public Relations Partner and sponsor for the HKIRA 2nd IR Awards 2016. Please find key dates relating to the HKIRA 2nd IR Awards 2016 with its categories and criteria listed in the Appendix.

About HKIRAHong Kong Investor Relations Association (HKIRA) is a professional association comprising IR practitioners and corporate executives responsible for communications between corporate management and the investment community. Established in 2008, HKIRA advocates the setting of international standards in IR education, promotes best IR practices and strives to meet the professional development needs of those interested in pursuing the investor relations profession. HKIRA is dedicated to advancing the practice of IR as well as the professional competency and status of our members. To date, HKIRA has more than 400 members and most of them are working for companies primarily listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. HKIRA's membership profile covers a wide spectrum of professions from IR, finance, accounting, company secretarial to corporate investment roles. It consists of executives at various stages of their career, including the top executives from the IR professional and also the C-level management of listed companies.

About HKIRA IR AwardsHKIRA is committed to promoting excellence in IR practices and advocating the setting of international standards in IR for the companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

To achieve this goal, HKIRA launched the inaugural HKIRA 1st Investor Relations Awards in early 2015. The Awards aim at commending IR best practices and focus on recognizing Hong Kong-listed companies and the local IR professionals their excellence and achievements in IR.

Award Categories1. Best IR Company - Large Cap2. Best IR Company - Mid Cap3. Best IR Company - Small Cap4. Best IR by Chairman/ CEO - Large Cap5. Best IR by Chairman/ CEO - Mid Cap6. Best IR by Chairman/ CEO - Small Cap7. Best IR by CFO - Large Cap8. Best IR by CFO - Mid Cap9. Best IR By CFO - Small Cap10. Best IRO (Investor Relations Officer) - Large Cap11. Best IRO (Investor Relations Officer) - Mid Cap12. Best IRO (Investor Relations Officer) - Small Cap13. Best IR Company for an IPO14. Best IR Presentation Collaterals - Large Cap15. Best IR Presentation Collaterals - Mid Cap16. Best IR Presentation Collaterals - Small Cap17. Overall Best IR Company - Large Cap18. Overall Best IR Company - Mid Cap19. Overall Best IR Company - Small Cap

Award Criteria

1. Best IR Company- Corporate structure and policies conducive to best practices in IR- Clear delineation of the role of executive management and their accountability to the board- High quality, effective composition and structure of the board of directors that enables the board to exercise its duties/ responsibilities independently and effectively while implementing best practices in IR- Evidence of protecting and advancing rights and interests of all shareholders, including minority shareholders- Evidence of maintaining good relationships with different stakeholders through various channels and responding to their needs and concerns

2. Best IR by Chairman/CEO- Strategic vision and leadership in steering the company to embrace market competition, trends and challenges- Management capability in leading the company to deliver sustainable business performance, creating long-term value for shareholders- Demonstration of high standards of business ethics and integrity- Demonstration of achievements in pursuing IR best practices and positioning IR as an essential discipline within the company- Commitment to pursuing timely, transparent and credible information disclosure as well as accessibility of the CEO/Chairman by the investment community

3. Best IR by CFO- Financial leadership in growing/ expanding the company through effective funding and/or treasury management, achieving the best financial structure, debt maturity profile, investor/ shareholder base, etc., for the company- Demonstration of high standards of financial integrity- Commitment to best practices in financial reporting which advance the quality and transparency for the disclosure of financial information- Effective communication of financials and performance guidance to the investment community- Good financial, accounting, regulatory and compliance knowledge and professionalism

4. Best IRO (Investor Relations Officer)- Effective communication of investment proposition in communicating the strategy, business and revenue models, plans and risks to investors- Fairness and transparency in information disclosure to all kinds of investors, shareholders and the public as a whole- Responsiveness to investor inquiries during [benign/normal] and crisis times to enable investors to have well-informed investment decisions- Consistency of messaging to the investment community and the public as a whole- Good company and industry knowledge to give investors sufficient information about the company's current performance and future prospects

5. Best IR Company for an IPO- This Award recognizes the best IR Company which was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2015. - Effective communication of investment proposition in communicating the strategy, business and revenue models, plans and risks to the investors- Effective use of communication channels in raising the awareness of the company and educating investors and the public for the successful launch of the IPO- Responsiveness to investor inquiries enabling investors to have well-informed investment decisions- Consistency of messaging to the investment community and the wider public before and after the IPO- Good company and industry knowledge to give investors sufficient information about the company's current performance and future prospects

6. Best IR Presentation Collaterals- Effective communication and insight into the company's investment proposition and financial position- Innovation and reader-friendliness in terms of presentation formats and the medium through which the collaterals are delivered- Easy accessibility by the investment community and the wider public - Updated on a timely basis to reflect the accuracy and latest financial and/or non-financial information disclosed- IR presentation collaterals may include but are not limited to the annual report, website and PowerPoint presentations, which will be considered as a whole for evidence of meeting the above criteria

7. Overall Best IR- The Judging Panel will select companies from among the winners of all the award categories for additional honors for outstanding and all-rounded excellence in the above areas.